Macara 3-0 Deportivo Cuenca | LigaPro Serie A | 23 July 2026

Macara produced a dominant display at the Estadio Monumental Banco Pichincha to sweep aside Deportivo Cuenca 3-0 in a LigaPro Serie A encounter that kicked off in the early hours of 23 July 2026. The result strengthened Macara’s push for a top-half finish in Ecuador’s top flight, while Deportivo Cuenca were left to rue a toothless attacking performance.

Match Overview

From the first whistle, Macara seized control of proceedings. Their high press and quick transitions left Deportivo Cuenca struggling to build any sustained periods of possession. The home side opened the scoring midway through the first half and never looked back, adding two more goals after the interval to seal a comprehensive victory.

Key Moments

• 25th minute: Macara broke the deadlock. A well-worked move down the right flank ended with a low cross that was turned home by the onrushing forward, giving the goalkeeper no chance.
• 58th minute: The lead was doubled. A corner kick was met by a towering header at the near post, bulleted into the net past a static Cuenca defence.
• 74th minute: Macara put the game to bed. A counter‑attack caught the visitors out of shape, allowing the left winger to cut inside and fire a crisp shot into the bottom corner.

Tactical Story

Macara’s coach set up in a flexible 4‑2‑3‑1 that allowed the wide players to drift into central areas, overloading Cuenca’s midfield. Deportivo Cuenca, by contrast, attempted to play a 4‑4‑2 but were repeatedly caught between defensive lines. Macara’s central midfield duo controlled the tempo, completing over 80% of their passes in the final third. Cuenca’s inability to retain possession high up the pitch meant their forwards were isolated for long stretches.

Standout Players

• Macara’s No.10: Orchestrated the attack with two assists and a composed finish. His movement between the lines was a constant threat.
• Macara’s centre‑back: Dominated aerially, winning eight duels and clearing every dangerous cross. Also contributed the second goal from a set piece.
• Cuenca’s goalkeeper: Despite conceding three, he made several sharp saves to prevent an even heavier defeat.

Season Impact

With this victory, Macara climbed to sixth place in the LigaPro Serie A standings, putting pressure on the teams above them in the race for a Copa Sudamericana qualification spot. Deportivo Cuenca remained mired in the bottom half, just three points above the relegation playoff berth. The loss highlighted a worrying trend for Cuenca, who have now gone four matches without a win, scoring only once in that stretch.